Johnny Marr – ‘Rebel Rebel’ / ‘Getting Away With It’
Johnny Marr releases two tracks from forthcoming live album, ‘Look Out Live!’.
Back in April, Johnny Marr released a live album captured during his electrifying performance at London’s Hammersmith Apollo in April of the previous year, as part of his Spirit Power tour. Spanning ten cities across the UK, the tour marked a decade of the legendary guitarist’s acclaimed solo career - showcasing a dynamic setlist that effortlessly weaved together standout tracks from his solo catalogue with timeless classics from his days with The Smiths and Electronic.
Originally pressed on orange vinyl and released exclusively through independent record stores for Record Store Day, the live album is now set for a wider release this September. Fans can pre-order it on orange vinyl, standard black vinyl, and CD, with the album also set to hit all major streaming platforms. Eagle-eyed fans may have noticed one key difference with the new release: the digital and CD versions feature four additional tracks – a cover of Iggy Pop’s ‘The Passenger’, ‘New Town Velocity’ and Smiths classics ‘Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before’ and ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’.
Offering a glimpse into the energy and evolution captured on the album - a testament to how far Johnny Marr has come in his solo journey, and how he continues to surprise and inspire - two tracks have been released to streaming: a bold cover of David Bowie’s ‘Rebel Rebel’ and a live rendition of Electronic’s ‘Getting Away With It’, both featuring Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys.
Their cover of ‘Rebel Rebel’ sees Johnny deliver the track’s iconic riff with effortless precision, while Neil’s smooth, unmistakable vocals glide through the verses with ease. On ‘Getting Away With It’, Johnny demonstrates just how comfortable he’s become as a frontman, trading vocals with Neil and harmonising beautifully on the chorus. The track’s legendary guitar breakdown remains as goosebump-inducing as ever, and as the performance builds, Neil’s subtle interjections of “1989” spark a wave of nostalgia for the year the song first came to life.
If you missed out on the original Record Store Day pressing, consider this your second chance. The two preview tracks offer a powerful glimpse into Johnny Marr’s lasting brilliance and the electrifying energy of his live performances.
Words by Laura Dean
